Of Thorns and Stings Amongst Other Things
by RissaJay264
Summary: A collection of fluffy one-shots and drabbles centered around Scorpius and Rose and the rest of the next generation.
1. Assumptions

Let's get this out of the way so I don't have to do this ever again : obviously, because I'm posting this on this sight, I have never and will never own any of these characters. They all belong to the genius of J. K. Rowling (who's my hero). These statements hold true for all chapters forever after.

I fell in love with this pairing after catching a fanfic a couple months ago. Normally, I don't like writing fanfictions (I'm hardly comfortable with my own characters let alone someone elses), but these characters were pratically made just forfanfiction. So I've decided to dip my toe in the fanfiction waters (it's still a little cold yet). I love the idea of Scorpius and Albus being BFF's, but I also love the idea of Scorpius and Rose hating each other and of Albus and Rose being very close. So I've found my middle ground (hopefully). In my world, Rose is in Ravenclaw, Scorpius is in Slytherin, and Albus is in Gryffindor with the rest of the Weasley's.

Now that all _that _is out of the way, on with the show!

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><p>Rose Weasley hated many things, especially assumptions.<p>

People _assumed_ that she was smart simply because her mother was the brightest witch of her age (Rose was smart because of her own brain power, thank you very much).

They _assumed _that she would be sorted in Gryffindor because of her last name (which made Ravenclaw that much better).

Worst of all, they _assumed _that she was a stuck-up, stick in the mud, know-it-all bookworm just because she was smart (if they would just get to know her, they'd know she wasn't any of those things…besides a bookworm).

Yes, Rose Weasley hated assumptions. More than assumptions, though, she hated Scorpius Malfoy.

Despite what others originally thought, she didn't hate him because of his name (she didn't even know there was any bad blood between their families until _after _their first year). She hated him because he _was _a stuck-up, stick in the mud, know-it-all (and not even a bookworm at that).

He was pretentious, entitled, and rude (to no one except her).

He might have been good looking even at the age of eleven, but that meant nothing to Rose; especially since she thought he took Albus—her cousin who's been her best friend since they were born—away from her (for which she could never fully forgive him).

More than assumptions—and even Scorpius Malfoy—Rose hated the assumptions people made _about_ her and Scorpious.

They_ assumed _they would be the best of friends because of Albus (they grew to hate each other upon sight).

After that was proven to be absolutely wrong, people _assumed _they would at least get along (they fought constantly, often dueled).

They thought they would kill each other (they knew when to stop, at least).

But worst, and most mistaken, people _assumed _they were in love (how completely ridiculous).

But more than assumptions, even more than Scorpius Malfoy, even more than assumptions about her and Scorpius Malfoy, Rose Weasley hates being wrong.

She misread a potion's instruction once (she would never do that again).

She pronounced a spell wrong thrice (how silly of her).

She said she would never fall in love (that went out the window quick).

She vehemently pronounced her never-ending loathing of Scorpius Malfoy (which was a little more embarrassing later than she tends to let on).

More than anything else in the world, however, Rose Weasley hates when she's wrong after an assumption about her and Scorpius is proven right.


	2. Bets at Breakfast

I've decided that I'm going to write a musical about how much working in a factory sucks and it's going to be called "I Hate This Stupid Job." I already have part of the final number:

Don't be a fool,  
>And think you're too cool,<br>To go back to school,  
>Cuz working in a factory suuuuuuuks!<p>

Get your education, kids, or else you won't have time to write fanfiction. Thankfully, my last day is in a week and I'll finally be able to practice what I preach.

Anyway, here's a tidbit that's not so much Rose/Scorpius as it is brotherly affection...with a little Rose/Scorpius thrown in there of course!

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><p>Albus found his brother right where he expected; in the Great Hall, sitting at the Gryffindor table, surprisingly—and thankfully—alone, just as Albus wanted.<p>

The bag made a satisfying clinking noise as Albus sat it—rather, _threw_ it—on the table next to James. James, who had just been staring moodily at the food on his place, looked up at the bag and then at Albus, muttering, "What's this, then?"

"A wager," Albus answered. An eyebrow arched, James took the bag from the table and looked greedily inside. "Ten galleons, in fact." At the shocked look on James's face, Albus stifled a laugh. "Careful, James, or your face will stick like that."

"What're you doing, throwing around this kind of money?" James demanded, his hand still firmly clenched around the bag.

"It could be yours, if you'd like."

"I'm listening."

Albus took a seat next to his brother, glancing around to make sure there were no other cousins about, before murmuring. "Ten galleons says that Scorp and Rose will be together by the end of our seventh year."

James let out a spluttering laugh, making the few other people sitting at the Gryffindor table turn and stare. "That's rich, Al, really rich," James said, wiping a tear from his eye. "If you're gonna blow money like that, you might as well pay that old bat Trelawney for one of her 'predictions'. At least then you'd get a good laugh."

"I'm serious, James." Albus insisted as his brother continued to laugh.

"Oh? And what makes you so sure?"

Albus looked over at the Slytherin table at the other end of the hall, and his brother followed his gaze. There, they could see Scorpius Malfoy glowering at the Ravenclaw table, where some Hufflepuff boy was talking to Rose Weasley, making her toss her red hair and smile prettily.

James shook his head, smirking. "Tsk, tsk, Albus, betting on your best mate's and your best cousin's love life. I thought I taught you better than that."

"Is it a deal or not?" Albus demanded.

But James only continued to smirk, purposefully annoying Albus. "What would dear Mum say if she knew you were gambling like this?"

"Probably the same thing she'd say if she knew you were snogging Willow Thomas every bloody minute."

James scowled as Albus smirked, knowing he had bested his brother. "Alright, then, I'll take your bet. But _I _bet _twenty _galleons that it won't happen. They can hardly stay in the same _room _without hexing each other."

"For now, at least," Albus conceded. Holding out his hand, he asked, "So, it's a deal?"

James seemed to deliberate for a moment, but finally grabbed his brothers hand and shook it. "Deal. But neither of us can interfere. Wouldn't be right."

Albus grinned, grabbing the bag of coins from his brother and a helping of sausage. "Wouldn't dream of it."


	3. It Hardly Matters

I just discovered the existence of a certain fanfiction. You may know it. It's called "my immortal". Once I got past the urge to gouge out my eyeballs, it was quite hilarious. I can't decide whether or not it's a troll, but if it is, I must say that is the most brilliant distortion of the English I've ever read.

Anyway, this is completely random and rather...improvised; I really had no plans for this one. Enjoy anyway!

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><p>It hardly mattered. Scorpius could say all he wanted, call her anything he preferred, but it didn't hurt; it never had. He could yell at her all he desired, shout at her all he wished, but she wasn't even tuned into half of their arguments anymore; she was far too happy to be angry with even <em>him<em>. Not even stupid, bloody Malfoy could catch her in a terrible mood, because Rose Weasley had gotten herself a boyfriend.

He was sweet, and kind, and treated her like a princess from the get-go. He was in Gryffindor (her father would approve), top of his year (her mother would be ecstatic), and a wonderful Quidditch player (her family would adore him).

She still couldn't fathom how she had gotten so lucky. She had admired him from afar in the library, quietly observing his flattering smile and quick wit, cautious with her every move when it came to him. Then one day, seemingly out of nowhere, he sat at her table. On instinct, she glared over the top of her book.

"You're Rose, aren't you?" he hadd asked, grinning so that his brown eyes were like melted chocolate.

"Yes," Rose answered, prepared. She knew what was coming next: the exclamation of her family's fame, the questions about her uncle and parents. She had heard it all before from absolutely _everyone_, it seemed.

"Good. Could you help me with my Transfiguration homework? I don't quite understand what this spell is supposed to do."

Surprised, Rose set her book aside, marking her page as she listened to the sincerity in his tone, the genuine curiosity in his eyes. "Sure," she had answered without a thought. He was a year behind her, so she knew what lesson he was talking about, and how _she _had had a bit of difficulty with it the previous year. "You see, the key is in the _movement_, not so much in the actual words—"

And so every day, he would visit her in the library, and she would help him with whatever questions he had for the day. At first, she assumed he was using her for her smarts, until he stopped bringing his homework and would just talk to her; never about her family, but about everything else.

When he invited her to the go on the next Hogsmede trip with her and a group of his friends, she was more than willing to go. Halfway through the day, he had led her away from the pack and they had had an excellent adventure in her uncle's joke shop, which involved a Pygmy Puff, Peruvian Darkness Powder, and their first kiss.

So then they were officially dating. Over the Easter Holidays, he invited her to meet his family. She brought him home over the summer holidays, and she had been right; her father approved, her mother was ecstatic, and her family adored him.

Unfortunately, that was the same summer that Scorpius had come to stay with Al, seeing as his parents were heading to Spain for a third honeymoon.

The same summer that Scorpius had fought with Rose's new boyfriend over a Quidditch foul that was hardly even his fault.

The same summer that Rose had hexed Scorpius.

The very same summer that Al had thought of the impossible, that Scorpius might not have fought with Rose's boyfriend because of Quidditch.

But now they were all back at Hogwarts, and Rose and her boyfriend were still going strong. He was still so sweet, still so kind, and still treated her as though she were the only girl in the world.

Of course, Rose and Scorpius continued to fight, but Rose would be too distracted and too bloody _happy _to throw out any proper insults, which only managed to enrage Scorpius even more; Hogwarts was no _fun _if he couldn't make Weasley at least a _little_ angry.

That was the real reason he punched her boyfriend on the Quidditch pitch one lazy spring afternoon; even he couldn't pretend it was over the Quidditch match that Slytherin had inexplicably won. Scorpius didn't punch him because he had called Rose a "clingy know-it-all" and it _definitely _wasn't because he had said he'd be rid of Rose the minute he got "what he wanted." No, no, no. Scorpius punched him because he made Rose so blasted _happy _and it _ruined _her, changing her into some girly little git that he couldn't have a nice, heated argument with once in a while.

(The reasoning didn't even make sense to him, and he personally didn't blame Rose for hexing him when he attempted to give her that excuse, even if it _was_ a tad uncalled for.)

But it hardly mattered to Rose what Scorpius did, anyway. She and her boyfriend were happy, and that's all that mattered to Rose. Scorpius could glower all he wanted, pout to his heart's content, because it didn't have any effect on her; she didn't think it ever could again. He could complain to Al all he wished, justify his actions to Al as much as he needed, because Rose didn't care; she was happy, for once. Her boyfriend made her happy.

And there was nothing Scorpius could do to stop it.


	4. It Hardly Matters Part Deux

Reviewers! Hi! I heard that you existed, but I didn't believe it! I kid of course, but in all seriousness thank you for reading my bits and drabbles. It's duly appreciated.

Anyway, I couldn't leave well enough alone and decided to continue a bit from the last chapter. I apologize for the length and possible dullness, but I couldn't get anything accomplished until this was finished.

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><p>"Where are we going, Scorpius?" Patricia asked, giggling. That seemed to be all she knew how to do with any sort of confidence, but she was pretty, and Scorpius thought he deserved a few pretty things in his life.<p>

"A little trust," he joked, pulling her by the hand. He knew of an abandoned tower somewhere in the west wing, and that seemed to be the perfect place for any sort of privacy with this girl, or any, really. He and Al had found it by complete accident one day in their first year when they had been late to class. It had become a place of refuge at first, somewhere they could go and plot and just hang out. But now that they were older, it had become a refuge of certain other uses. Scorpius and Al had both brought their fair share of girls there over the years, and this girl was certainly no exception. She'd probably see this place once.

They stopped at the stairs in the middle of the tower, right next to a window that looked out towards the Forbidden Forest and Hagrid's hut. "Oo!" she cooed. "What is this place?"

"Just my little hideaway from the world," he said with a shrug, moving towards her.

"It certainly has a nice view," she purred, pressing against him.

Priceless. He had lost count of how many had said something about the view. That was part of the entertainment at stopping at this point on the stairs; it provided a perfect segue into the real business.

"Not as good as mine," he whispered into her ear.

She kissed him, and Scorpius found himself kissing her back. She certainly wasn't terrible, and Scorpius liked it quite a bit. In fact, it was a good while before he broke away from her, and that was only because he had heard a noise from somewhere above them.

"What's that?" he asked, breaking away.

"Who cares?" she whispered, trying to kiss him again. But he was curious now, and certainly didn't want their privacy to be disturbed by the caretaker or a prefect or anyone else who might happen to be up here with them. What if they had been followed? He couldn't bear to have that besmirch his clean school record (even if his reputation was a little less than pristine).

When he rejected her advances again, Patricia began to whine. "Come _on_, Scorpius! It's probably nothing."

It wasn't nothing, though. It was crying. And, unless his ears deceived him, it was a girl.

Who else knew how to get to this tower besides him and Al? He only knew of one person, and she had only found this tower by complete accident. He couldn't think of any reason why _she'd _be up there this late at night. Suddenly overcome by curiosity, Scorpius jerked out of Patricia's grip to head up the stairs.

"Um, where do you think you're going?" she demanded, following him.

"I just want to see who's up there."

"Why? They're not bothering us!"

"Just let me look, Patricia."

She rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips in a dangerous stance that (thanks to a certain red-headed cousin of his best friend) he knew meant that a fight was coming. "If you go up there, I'm leaving."

It was a clear cut ultimatum, and she was clearly in control of the outcome of either choice, and something in him wouldn't allow that. "Bye, then" he said, waving at her as he headed up the stairs. He heard a scoff and the stomping of her feet as she stamped down the stairs, and knew he had just lost any chance with her thanks to a mysterious sobbing stranger. Fantastic.

There was no point turning back now, especially since he had just sent his reason for trekking to the tower in the first place walking away in a huff. So, he crept along the stairs, following the sound of whoever was crying (they were really sobbing quite loudly). He came to the top of the tower, gently pushing open the door to see if there was anyone inside. There was huddled mass in the corner of the room that he took to be a girl, her shoulders bucking as she sobbed. From the minimal light streaming through the window, he saw that the girl had a mane of red hair that was pulled back away from her face. _I should leave her alone_, he thought, meaning to leave. Until a flash of recognition connected to that _certain _mane of red hair registered and was out of his mouth before his mind could stop it.

"_Weasley_?"

At the sound of his voice, the girl in the tower looked up to see who had called her name. The moon shining in through the window made her tear-stained face glisten and illuminated the angry expression that crossed over her features at the sight of him. "Oh, bloody brilliant!" Rose exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. Her voice trailed off as she looked out the window, avoiding Scorpius's questioning gaze. "Of all the bloody people in the whole bloody school…"

_Exactly what I was thinking_, Scorpius thought. He just wanted to have a nice, fun filled evening with a girl he hardly knew, so of _course _he'd run into the one person that could possibly ruin it. Even if she _was _crying…

She was crying. The fact finally registered in his mind and became a coherent reality. Sure, it had been the sound that had led him to her in the first place, but actually seeing herin tears was enough to drive Patricia and whatever he had planned for that evening completely out of his mind. Rose Weasley was in tears, and the pure anomaly of entire concept unnerved him. "What's wrong?" he asked before he could stop himself, genuine concern lacing his words.

"It hardly matters, does it?" she demanded, holding back a sob. As she resolutely wiped her eyes, she turned on him with a look so scathing that he was half afraid she'd start screaming at him. "Why don't you go find someone else to bother and leave me _alone_!"

"Because I'm quite sure Albus would kill me if I left you crying," he said, taking a seat beside her as she burrowed her face in her knees. "And the rest of your family, for that matter," he added as an afterthought.

She muttered something he didn't quite hear, but sounded suspiciously like, "You should definitely go, then."

"And anyway," he continued, choosing to ignore any snide remarks, "you're in _my _tower, mind. I'd like to know why."

"It's none of your business," she grumbled into her knees.

He put up in hands in surrender, standing. "Fine, then." He wasn't in the mood to deal with any sobbing girls, especially since he had just lost his chance with a particularly pretty one, and he certainly wasn't in the mood to deal with any attitude from Rose Weasley, even if she was in tears. He'd have to just calmly explain to Al that Rose hadn't wanted him anywhere near her (which was entirely believable), and there was nothing he could do to comfort her.

He made to leave (and he should have left), but he couldn't without the final word. "Why don't you call you boyfriend then and get him to figure it out since it's 'none of my business.'"

"We broke up."

It was out of her mouth before she could stop it; he could tell by the matter-of-fact way she had said it. Tears started welling in her eyes again as though the weight of what she had said punched her in the chest all over again.

He really should have left when he had the chance.

Scorpius sat down again, heaving a dramatic sigh. "What happened?" he asked, doing his best to sound annoyed (when actually he was honestly curious).

She didn't look at him, choosing the view of the stars outside the window instead. "He said—" She stopped for a moment and took a deep breath, as though to steady herself. "He said that it was getting too serious. That he wasn't ready for a relationship like I was looking for. He said—" She stopped, entirely unable to continue, and he knew that she was determined _not _to cry in front of him anymore.

Scorpius was about to call the boy a right bloody git, but then he remembered that that was _exactly _what he wanted from Patricia; nothing but a fling with no substantial relationship attached.

But that was different, he told himself. Patricia was some Hufflepuff who had been flirting with him in Charms since term had started, who was an airhead that he could hardly have a conversation with let alone a nice argument. Not like his Rose, who had a brain and a personality and an opinion that he could respect, even if he didn't agree. She didn't deserve to be treated like something that could be cast aside just because someone deemed her too serious, because she was too good for that.

But she wasn't _his _Rose, was she? She was just, well, Rose, the one who had a heart attack whenever he or Al hadn't finished his homework, the one who beat him at _every _test, the one who made it clear that—though she didn't play for her house team—she could destroy him on the Quidditch field any day of the week, the only person besides Al that he associated with in any way that could tell him he was wrong without being hexed. The one who he felt wrong thinking of as anything other than Al's cousin.

He couldn't very well tell her any of that, however, not without fear that whatever carefully developed animosity they shared would somehow disintegrate in an instant. "Cop out," he settled for instead.

"Excuse me?" she demanded, a spark of her old fire flaring in her eyes as she turned her head sharply to glower at him.

"You heard me. I said 'Cop out.' Ten galleons says that he has some other girl on the side, that wasn't so 'serious' that he could have a little fun—oof!"

The punch in the stomach had come as a bit of a shock and knocked the air clean out of him. He jumped to a standing position, trying to figure out what had just happened. He looked over at her to find her glaring at him, her fist poised to strike again. "What the bloody hell was that for?" he demanded as he finally caught his breath again.

"Merlin, Malfoy!" she exclaimed, looking completely mad, her eyes entirely wild. "He broke up with me! That's it! No cheating! N-no other girl! He just—"

The dams of her resolve finally broke, and the tears came before she could finish. She started to sob, and—without a second thought otherwise—Scorpius quickly sat next to her again and grabbed her around her shoulders and pulled her to him. She didn't argue, but cried into his shirt, apologizing over and over again for the stain she was surely going to leave as he gently shushed her and rubbed her arm.

Though he wouldn't realize it until much later, it was then he vowed that he would never let anyone make Rose Weasley cry again. It was also then that he vowed that whoever made Rose Weasley cry ever again would be severely punished (which is the real reason, though Rose never knew it, that the git who had broken her heart ended up in the hospital wing several days later due to a severe head injury that was caused by a bludger to the head in a brilliant shot by Scorpius Malfoy).

They never spoke of that night, not even to Albus; as far as anyone was concerned, it had never happened. But there were clues (including a certain bludger induced head injury that had cost Slytherin the match) that even Albus couldn't miss; Rose was certainly more polite to Scorpius, and Albus noticed a protective streak towards Rose that Scorpius had never displayed before (but Albus was certain had always been there). They could even stay in the same area of space for more than a few minutes without arguing.

But it hardly mattered, because neither would admit _anything _more than a mutual disdain. Albus was going to have to take matters into his own hands, it seemed.

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><p>You still there? Hi! I promise that Scorpius isn't <em>really <em>a manwhore; it just seems that way. In reality, he's just free with who he kisses. And, as I'm (unfortunately) not British, I had to use American slang. I'm not even sure if cop out is British.

Anyway, as a last announcement before I actually bore you to death, I'm taking requests. "So early?" you ask. "Yes," I answer, "because I enjoy having inspiration."


	5. Announcements

*Ahem* Hello. *Waves awkwardly*

After an unexpected 2-3 month hiatus (in which my internet has been down, my laptop has been broken and fixed three times, and I've developed a slight twitch in my left eye from inability to access any of my files), I'm finally back! This is a lot shorter than what I wanted to be, and yes, the Chrismas aspect of it is a tad late, but better late than never right? *laughs nervously*

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><p>Christmas is a time of giving, a time of celebration. But at the moment, it was the perfect time for Scorpius Malfoy to Apparate on the spot and not think twice about it. Only the girl standing next to him (and, though he loathed to admit it, the thought of what her family would do to him if they found out he had ran like a coward) kept him firmly rooted to the ground<p>

"Don't be nervous," Rose chided.

"They're going to kill me."

"You've been friends with Al for years, and they haven't killed you yet, have they?"

"I'm not _dating _Al."

"Keep up being a coward and you won't be dating me either."

He shot her a disgruntled look. "Not funny," he scolded, but she was smiling and her eyes were twinkling, and he found a nervous grin appearing on his face despite what he was about to face.

She stood on tiptoe and gave him a swift kiss on the cheek. "You'll be fine; just don't be a prat."

"Such wonderful words of encouragement," he grumbled.

"Hey, you managed to charm _me_, didn't you?" she asked, giving him a playful punch on the arm.

"I'm not going to _kiss_ them!" he said, looking so disgusted at the thought that Rose gave out a laugh.

"Oh, come on, then," she said, giggling. "It won't be so bad."

Easy for her to say; it wasn't _her _who was going to be chased from the house with members of a feral family chasing after her with wands held aloft and primed to kill. But before he could voice his concerns, Rose had already grabbed his hand, swung the door open, and led him through.

"Rose, wait—"

But it was too late, they were already inside. The party was in full swing as the door creaked shut ominously behind them, and it seemed (of course) that _every _member of her family had decided to come on time this year; even her uncle Charlie was leaning against a wall, talking animatedly with her aunt Ginny. Well, at the very least they'd get the announcement done in one go, Scorpius thought grimly.

They didn't have to say a word; Rose's hand firmly clasping his was enough to extinguish all conversation in the entire room in a slow ripple as her family stared in open shock. The crowd of Weasley's seemed to part like the Red Sea, until there was a clear path from Rose and Scorpius standing by the door to Rose's father standing next to her mother, clutching a butterbeer and looking—to Scorpius at least—as though he was trying to figure out the best curse to use on his daughter's new boyfriend.

The air seemed to buzz with anticipation and anxiety as all eyes in the room shifted from Ronald Weasley to Rose and Scorpius's conjoined hands, as though they were all waiting for the explosion; even Hermione Weasley was nervously watching at her husband. But to everyone's surprise—and Scorpius's relief—it was Ron who broke the silence, and not with the explosion everyone expected; with a wide smile and a laugh, he looked at the two teenagers standing awkwardly at the door, declared, "About time!" and demanded to know when dinner would be ready.


	6. Any Normal Day

FLUFF! Pure, long-winded fluff that I couldn't get out of my head. To avoid confusion, this chapter occurs before chapter three, "It Hardly Matters, part Deax", when Scorpius was comforting Rose (I do like me some fluff).

Also, thank you once again to all who review/favorite/alert...it does my heart good to know that I'm not _completely _awful...

Anyway, enjoy!

P.S. To the reviewer who mentioned James Potter snogging the Whomping Willow, if James Potter was regularly making out with the Whomping Willow, he should be inducted into the Hall of B.A. Fame straightaway, as that would be both extremely weird and slightly awesome.

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><p>If Albus Potter wasn't his best friend, Scorpius Malfoy would never come <em>near <em>the Gryffindor table. The entire lot of them were rude, rowdy, arrogant, and all around _obnoxious_. He didn't like them, and they most certainly didn't like him. On any normal day, Scorpius stayed clear of the Gryffindor table to the best of his ability; it was an unspoken rule between Albus and Scorpius that mealtimes were spent with their respective houses, as neither of them were particularly fond of the other's. On any normal day, Scorpius would have already had his essay completed, ready to turn in. However, due to Quidditch practice and Albus cajoling him into wondering the halls late the night before under Mr. Potter's old invisibility cloak, Scorpius had decided a good night's rest was much more important than anything else could _possibly _be, and so had completely forgotten about his essay until he had come down to breakfast and Albus had bombarded him. So, on _that _particular day, both he and Albus could be found at the Gryffindor table, writing like maniacs in an attempt to finish the Potion's essay that was due directly after breakfast.

People's heads turned to follow him the moment he sat down next to Al so that they could compare notes. Scorpius paid these no mind; it had to be odd to have a Slytherin sitting with them, so he didn't blame them for being curious. But what he _did _mind were the loud laughs coming from whoever had sat down across the table from them, making hissing noises at Scorpius. Too concerned with his essay to pay them much attention, he didn't even bother to look up until a wadded up napkin was launched at him and hit him squarely in the eye. Annoyed by both the loud laughter that followed and the message in the napkin (_Hissy, hissy, little snaky. Go back to your hole where you belong_), he finally looked up at his bullies to see Markus Flanagan and two of his friends watching him as they laughed uproariously.

Flanagan was a burly, broad shouldered, senseless boy who had a love of hexing and, when hexing wasn't an option, flinging insults at anyone he managed to get in his sights when they least expected it (though, Scorpius always thought that Flanagan could just as easily bowl them over in the time it took him to think of a good hex or insult). He had a meager following of mean, rude, stupid boys, and, as he was the meanest, the rudest and—as unlikely as it was—the smartest of them, he was their obvious choice as leader.

If it was anyone who carried the old prejudices, it was Flanagan. Though tormenting each and every person at Hogwarts before he graduated was a personal goal of his, he took a special joy in tormenting Slytherins, and, though he left Scorpius alone because Scorpius left _him _alone, Flanagan wasn't likely to pass up the opportunity to harass a Slytherin when it presented itself so readily.

"Can't we just go to the _library_?" Scorpius hissed after the third napkin hit Al's goblet, nearly knocking it over. "Or _my _table?"

Albus shook his head, not taking his eyes off his paper. "No time now. I've had Rose promise to check ours over after breakfast—"Albus looked up crossly when Scorpius gave out a groan of disgust. "Unless you _want _to fail."

Scorpius said no more, following Albus's example and bending over his parchment to continue working.

A moment later, Lily scooted in next to her brother, grabbing a helping of bacon. Seeing both Scorpius and Albus bent over his half-finished essay, she asked, "Last minute homework, Al?"

"Shush it, Lily," Albus snapped.

"Yeah, shush it, Potter," Flanagan jeered, his friends red in the face from laughing so much. "It's must be hard for him to concentrate when there's so much slime dripping on your paper from that git." He pointed at Scorpius, who, reflexively, made to grab his wand so that he could show Flanagan just how _slimy _someone could be.

Albus, knowing Scorpius as well as he did, grabbed his arm before it could reach his pocket and muttered something that sounded distinctly like, "Ignore them." On any normal day, Scorpius would have, but that day, he had had enough and pretended not to hear Al's warning.

"I think it's time to shut up, Flanagan," he said loud enough for the boy to hear.

Flanagan gave Scorpius a haughty look that made Scorpius want to hex him into oblivion. "Just speaking the truth, _Malfoy._ Everyone knows that Slytherins are muggle hating, pure-blood loving wankers. Just look in your history book—"

"_Actually_," a voice said behind Scorpius, "that's not entirely true."

Scorpius repressed a groan. On any normal day, Rose would have stayed clear of the Gryffindor table if Scorpius was anywhere near it; she had to be the _only_ person who could possibly make this any worse. "I don't recall asking _your_ opinion_, _Weasley," he muttered callously.

She squeezed herself in between Lily and Al, either ignoring Scorpius because she hadn't heard him or too hardwired to correct Flanagan's mistake to be distracted by his comment.

"Traditionally," she began, as though reciting straight from a textbook, "Slytherins are actually known for their cunning, resourcefulness, and ambition. Though admittedly Salazar Slytherin himself took great stock in that 'pure-blood' nonsense, and that does tend to damper the House's reputation, that is not the _sole _requirement for being sorted into Slytherin House. Several muggle-borns have been in Slytherin, and so, it is worth noting, was one of the most famous half-bloods of the Wizarding Wars: Severus Snape, who had a brief spell as Headmaster here at Hogwarts and was the unsung hero of the war against Voldemort (and surely you aren't so," she paused, choosing her words carefully, "senseless to not know who _that _is).

"It's no surprise that Malfoy is in Slytherin; with his potential for scheming, he'll probably be Minister of Magic one day. But _you_," she added, looking pointedly at Flanagan,"on the other hand, are an utter mystery. Gryffindors are known for their nerve, daring, and chivalry, and though you _obviously _have enough nerve and daring to fling insults at unsuspecting bystanders only when you're flanked by your…_friends_, but you are also a coward who jumps every time a teacher comes anywhere near because you know deep down that you are nothing but a bully, and the day you are in anyway chivalrous, gentlemanly, or even _civil _is the day that Al prances through the Great Hall in a pink dress declaring his undying love for trout. While Malfoy is cunning and resourceful and will probably be running the wizarding world in a few years' time, it's a wonder you can find the food on your plate without having someone there to guide your hand to the fork.

"_So_," she concluded in the air of someone successfully making a difficult point to a rather dimwitted child, "since you place _so_ much stock in house placement, I, a Ravenclaw—the house known for its members' wit, wisdom, and love of learning—and who has actually _read _the history book say it would be _most prudent _for you to keep your_ big trap shut _about things you don't understand, wouldn't you agree?"

No one said a word as Rose finished her speech, taking a few moments to give Flanagan a good glare before reaching for a link of sausage. Albus looked halfway between shock and laughter and as though he wanted to give Rose a good clap on the back; Lily appeared as though Rose had just given her an early Christmas present; and Scorpius didn't know whether he should laugh at Flanagan or clear out of the way before he began cursing them all.

Flanagan and his friends stared at Rose as though she were some sort of boring house plant that had just begun singing opera before their eyes, wearing an expression that gave them each a great resemblance to a confused baboon. Flanagan recovered a few seconds later, his features screwing up into an angry expression as his hand lunged into his robe for his wand. "You calling me stupid?" he demanded of Rose, who looked at Lily—who, if her grin was any indication, was thoroughly enjoying herself—as though she were sharing her relief that he had caught on so quickly.

"Very good," she praised, "there may be hope for you yet." Her eyes flitted quickly to the staff table and back before she said, "Now, why don't you leave that wand where it belongs and get out of here before one of the teachers finally catches on; I know how _awful _it'd be to sully such a…_spotless_ record as yours."

She said it in such a sweet way that even Scorpius—who, by then, had decided, based on the expression on Flanagan's face, that laughing wasn't the smartest option—wasn't sure whether or not she was kidding. Flanagan was evidently confused as well, because he watched Rose smiling pleasantly at him for a good few minutes with an angry (and almost vacant) expression on his face before jerking his head at his friends.

"Come on," Flanagan grunted, casting Rose one last glare before skulking out of the Hall, his two friends following closely in his wake.

"That was great!" Lily exclaimed the moment they had left the Hall. "I've never seen him look so confused!"

"You should see him in Transfiguration," Al cut in, "he looks as though he's trying to decipher Ancient Runes, and don't," he turned to Rose, who had just opened her mouth to speak, "say 'it's easier than it looks,' because it's not." He broke into a wide grin. "That was brilliant, though; you should really sit over here more often."

He looked demurely at his partly finished essay. "Mum's going to kill me if she finds out, but there's no hope now." He wadded up the parchment and tossed it in his bag. "That's not getting done." Seeing the scandalized expression on Rose's face, he added with a contrite shrug, "Sorry, Rose."

Scorpius let out a splutter of outrage as he followed suit and wadded up his essay and threw it at Al. "You bloody _wanker_—I had to sit with the _Gryffindors _because of you—"

Checking her watch, Rose shot out, "Pity, Malfoy." She stood up, hoisting her bag over her shoulder. "We better go, or we're going to be late.

Rose left at once, Lily following soon after, as Scorpius attempted to cram all of his books back into his bag and Albus waited for him impatiently.

On any normal day, Scorpius would have allowed Rose to leave without saying a single word. On any normal day, Scorpius would have actually been insulted that _Rose_ _bloody Weasley _had thought that he needed to be defended against a group of idiotic _Gryffindors_. Of course, on any normal day, Rose would have sooner had a good snog session with the Whomping Willow than defend him, so on _that_ day, Scorpius felt that he had to say _something _before they went off to class. "Go on ahead, Al, I'll catch up," he said to his friend once they were out of the Hall and he had spotted a particular mane of hair in the crowd. Albus, a knowing look in his eye, walked away to catch up with one of the other Gryffindors in their year without a word.

Hey, Weasley!" Scorpius called.

She stopped, letting the rest of the crowd mill around her as she waited for him to catch up. "What, Malfoy?" she demanded when he did. By then they were the only people left outside the Great Hall, as most of the remaining crowd were already on their way to class. "We're going to be late."

Heaving a dramatic sigh, he said "I _suppose_, seeing as you defended my entire house, I ought to present my appreciation on their behalf."

She raised one skeptical eyebrow. "Are you actually _thanking_ me, Malfoy?" she inquired, looking doubtful.

"Not at all. I'm merely extending the gratitude of the noble house of Slytherin."

A malevolent smile crossed her features as she said, "Say it any way you want, but I think _you're_ thanking me."

"Well, yes, I guess I am" he conceded, "because your constant need to be right has actually benefited me today."

On any normal day Rose would have risen to this bait, puffing up like a disgruntled hen as she snapped out a retort. She would, most certainly, not have laughed at something he said, and Scorpius would not be thinking about how much he liked her laugh, either.

"I can't allow someone to ruin Hogwarts good name with blatant lies, even if it's about you bunch of slimy Slytherins," she retorted with a smile that was neither vindictive nor sarcastic, as she usually gave him, but as though they were really sharing a joke. "_Especially_ someone who's probably never even opened a book in his life."

On any normal day, Scorpius would have said something nasty in return, maybe throw in a jibe about _her _house, or mentioned that _nobody _reads like she does (and he would _not _have noticed how her smile lit up her eyes), but that day, he shared her smile and laughed with her.

They fell awkwardly silent, as though neither were sure where to go from there; he didn't know what Rose was thinking, but Scorpius had not missed the fact that they had now gone a full five minutes without yelling at each other (nor did it escape his notice that there was a distinctive heat rising to his cheeks and that hers were becoming a violent shade of pink).

"Right," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, which, unfortunately, felt just as warm as his face. "I'll just—go, then."

"Right," she muttered, picking that particular moment to determinedly rummage in her bag, avoiding his gaze. "See you around, Malfoy."

"See you, Rose."

He walked away quickly, unsure why he was hurrying away from her so fast. Rose was her _name_, after all, and there was nothing wrong with calling her by it. Really, there was no reason for him to feel as though calling her Rose had broken something that he couldn't quite name, and that he was sure would not be missed.

On any normal day, Scorpius would have turned around to see her reaction, and on any normal day, it would have been a suspicious expression that would have crossed Rose's features as she tried to figure out his motives for calling her by her first name. Of course, this wasn't any normal day, so he hurried off without a backwards glance and completely missed the slight smile that had crept on Rose's face as she hurried off herself.


	7. A Lifetime

Rose wakes up one morning to find Scorpius already wide awake, sitting up on the bed and idly playing with a string of her hair as he stares intently into her face. "Morning…" she greets him cautiously as she sits up, afraid that he is in one of his contemplative moods and doesn't want to be disturbed.

"Morning."

"How long have you been up?" she ventures.

"Since 7:30." He's still staring at her, giving her the same look she had often seen him give complex Arithmancy problems in school, but he seems cheerful enough, if not a tad preoccupied.

She yawns, unable to help herself, stretching her arms above her head and arching her back like a cat. "What time is it now?"

"Nine."

She drops her arms to the bed and gives him the look _she _often gave complex Arithmancy problems in school. "What were you doing for all that time?" she demands. She's used to his odd habits by now, but lying in bed for an hour and a half while she was still asleep is something completely new and even more strange than usual.

"Counting your freckles."

"Any luck with that?" she asks, resisting the urge to smile and attempting to keep the laughter out of her voice and failing miserably at both.

He's completely serious when he answers, "No. You moved and I lost count."

"My sincerest apologies," she chuckles, nestling into his chest. He puts an arm around her and begins to rub her back as she adds, "Besides, it'd take longer than an hour and a half to count them all anyway."

He's silent for a moment, obviously thinking. "No," he muses, "it would take a lifetime."

She feels him move as though he's about to get out of bed and grumbles her displeasure and hangs on tighter; if he can stay in bed watching her sleep for an hour and half, he can stay in bed and cuddle for just as long, if she so chooses. But he had merely grabbed something from the bedside table, and a moment later both arms are around her again. "Rose," he whispers into her disheveled hair.

"Hmm?"

"I'd like a lifetime."

She detangles herself from him and looks at him, confused and ready to tell him so, until she sees the small box he's holding in his hand and gasps, her hands flying to her mouth. "Scorpius…"

"Will you give it to me?" he asks, opening the box and revealing the ring. "Will you marry me, Rose Weasley?"

She can't speak at first, as shocked as she is, but she's still able to nod as tears begin to form in her eyes. "Yes," she says when she finally finds her voice. "Yes, of course I will!"

He smiles widely, placing the ring on her finger when she holds out her shaking hand, and then grabs her so that he could kiss her and every freckle on her face.

After all, he had a lifetime to find the rest.

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><p>Happy (somewhat belated) Valentine's Day!<p> 


	8. Guessing Game

I _would _aplogize for such a long delay in updating, but I'll give you this long update instead. Enjoy!

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><p>"Irena Bones."<p>

"No."

"Susan Jenkins."

"No."

"Umber Greybeard."

"No."

It seemed Grace had been guessing for an hour with no results, and—though Albus really wished he would—it wasn't as though Scorpius was going to come out and _tell_ her who it was he fancied. The worst part of it all was that Scorpius didn't even seem the least bit aggravated by Grace's relentless stream of guesses; if anything, he simply sounded bored.

The winter season had finally melted away into a beautiful spring. It was the type of day that made classes last twice as long as the students gazed longingly out the window, dreaming of a tree by the lake or a good stroll around the grounds to just be outside after a long, cold winter. Thankfully, it was the weekend, and almost every student at Hogwarts was on the grounds, enjoying the break from the snow and from classes. Albus Potter had been no exception, and he had practically dragged his best friend Scorpius Malfoy out of the library and onto the green grounds so they could both enjoy the fresh air.

"I told you, Al," Scorpius had said as Albus had practically pushed him to a spot by the lake underneath the shade of a giant tree, "I have to study. O.W.L.'s—"

"Are in a month and you've been studying for them since first year," Albus had argued, instructing Scorpius to sit down with a pointed finger. "And there's no school rule saying you can't study outside, especially since you're looking exceptionally pale."

Scorpius had given Albus a scathing look before spreading out his Transfiguration notes so he could study. "I didn't realize my mother was at Hogwarts," he had said with a smile, earning him a punch in the shoulder.

"Hilarious," Albus had said as Scorpius laughed.

Albus had lay in the grass with his arms behind his head and watched the clouds float by, their shapes twisting and changing in the cool spring breeze, and Scorpius had fervently studied his notes, occasionally ruffling parchment but otherwise completely silent. It had been peaceful and serene, and Albus had wished, not for the first time, that more days at Hogwarts were like this. No troubles, no classes, no homework…

However, after only a few short, glorious minutes of peace, they had been joined by Grace Higgins, a Hufflepuff and Rose's best friend, who seemed to think on many occasions that the boys were an appropriate replacement for Rose whenever she was missing or with her own house.

"Hello, boys," she had greeted, sitting cross-legged on the grass beside them.

Albus had propped himself up on his elbows as Scorpius looked up from his notes at her. "Grace?" Albus had asked. "What are you doing?"

"Sitting, obviously," Grace replied, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, thank you for that," Albus said, rolling his eyes in turn. "But what are you doing sitting with us? Where's Rose?"

"Off with her Ravenclaw friends somewhere," she'd said, waving her hand. "I didn't want to join them so…" she'd shrugged, "I didn't."

"Ravenclaws _are_ known for being exclusive," Scorpius had pointed out. "Of course, hanging out with the likes of us does little for your reputation. Goody-goody Rose may not like what we're doing to you."

Scorpius was rewarded a slap on the back of the head from Grace. "Hilarious," Grace had said as Scorpius grinned at her and Albus laughed. "Should tell that to your girlfriend sometime. She deserves to know what she's getting into."

"And have her slap me? No thank you." He had been silent for a moment as he organized a section of his notes. "Besides," he said distractedly, "she ditched me."

"What'd you do?" Albus had demanded, sitting up fully. "She'd been after you for months!"

When he wasn't planning to use a girl for just a onetime snog, Scorpius was incredibly shy around them. He had fancied her almost as much as she had fancied him, and it had taken Albus nearly three months to convince Scorpius to ask her to Hogsmeade for the first time. To hear that all of his hard work had been thrown away was disheartening.

Scorpius had shrugged, directing his attention to Transfiguration and away from the conversation with Albus, as Grace eyed Scorpius suspiciously, no doubt recalling all of the bad things Rose had told her about him.

"Surely you must have done something," Albus had mused, feeling distinctly as though months of hard cajoling had gone completely to waste. He looked towards the opposite side of the lake where he could see several Ravenclaws sitting in a circle and enjoying the sunshine. "No one ups and ditches someone like that."

"On the contrary," Scorpius had mumbled. "I do it all the time."

Neither Albus nor Grace could argue with this. "So who has Scorpius Malfoy's sights now?" Grace asked, openly curious.

Scorpius had hesitated for a moment—his eyes shifting to the Ravenclaw group and back to his notes so fast that Albus had almost missed it—before slowly answering with, "No one, at the moment."

"Surely you fancy _someone_," Grace had insisted.

"Right now I fancy getting decent marks on my Transfiguration O.W.L., and you are thus far doing nothing to help."

"Fine, then," Grace had said. "I'll just have to guess."

"Suit yourself."

"I bet it's…Justine Howe."

"No."

"Ila Donnelly."

"No."

And so it had begun.

"Lily Potter."

"No."

"Is there something _wrong _with my sister?" Albus cut in.

Scorpius didn't even glance up from his notes as he said, "Other than she's your sister? No. Doesn't mean I fancy her."

Albus nodded his approval, as Grace thought for a moment for another girl as someone from the group on the other side of the lake gave a loud shriek. "That blonde bird from potions."

Scorpius looked up from his notes, granting Grace a look of disbelief, asserting defensively, "I do have _some _standards."

Graces put her hands up, admitting defeat. "Yeah, yeah." After Scorpius had returned to his notes, Grace continued her stream of names. "Nora Barnes."

"No."

"Melanie Evanovich."

"No."

"I can do this all day, you know."

"So can I."

"Prim Haggen."

"No."

Albus, finally sick of the name game, inquired loudly, "You're not gay, are you?"

Scorpius looked at him with a wry smile and an arched eyebrow. "Is that wishful thinking, Albus?" He was awarded a punch in the shoulder as he returned to his notes, laughing.

Grace let out an irritated sigh, finally giving up. "Look, if you don't tell me, I'll hex you."

Scorpius gave Grace a skeptical look before his attention was caught by the group on the other side of the lake. Albus turned to see what could possibly have pulled Scorpius's attention away from his precious notes, and saw a familiar mass of red hair coming towards them, her legs dripping water from splashing in the lake, calling Grace's name.

"Rose!" Albus shouted, waving her towards them. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Scorpius return to his notes determinately, and an almost imperceptible pinkish hue coming over his normally pale features.

"Hey, Al!" she exclaimed once she'd reached them. Catching one glance at Scorpius sitting on the grass, she coldly added, "Malfoy."

"Weasley."

"Grace!" she cried, returning her attention to her friend. "Where have you been?"

"Right here, trying to find out who Scorpius fancies."

Scorpius cast an evil glare Grace's way that neither Rose nor Grace caught. "Well come on!" Rose said, grabbing Grace by the hand and pulling her up. "You'll find out when he has his tongue down her throat in less than week."

Scorpius glared at Rose with narrowed eyes as Rose took off with a reluctant Grace. Grace threw a pleading look over her shoulder at the boys, before Rose had pulled her towards her and whispered something in her ear, setting the both of them into a fit of giggles. _Girls_.

Scorpius watched them run around the lake until they had joined the Ravenclaws on the other side before returning to his Transfiguration. Albus lay on his back, watching the clouds float by once again and letting his mind wonder. His thoughts turned to Grace, and her stream of names that Scorpius had denied having interest in. It seemed that Grace had listed off most of the girls in their year. Except…

And with a sudden, inexplicable, and utterly confusing epiphany, Albus knew. "Rose!"

"Rose who?" Scorpius asked, distracted once again by Tranfiguration.

"Madam Rosemerta. My bloody cousin, you git!"

"What about her?"

"You fancy Rose!"

If Albus ever needed to catch Scorpius's interest ever again, he would only have to accuse Scorpius of fancying his cousin, because he now had Scorpius's undivided attention. His cheeks took on the slightest pink tinge as he said, "Did someone _Confund_ you? Rose Weasley is the last person in the bloody _world_ that I would fancy! I can hardly stand her!"

Albus gave him a pointed look, saying, "So Finnegan—you know, the _beater _on the Gryffindor team—got that head blow from you last match because he had the quaffle or found the snitch, then? Because you'd know better than me that beaters are certainly known for that."

Scorpius shrugged, averting his gaze. "I was trying to hit _you_. I didn't aim correctly."

"The great Scorpius Malfoy 'didn't aim correctly' or the great Scorpius Malfoy wasn't happy with the bloke who hurt Rose?"

Scorpius looked up crossly at Albus, "For being such a protective family, you lot didn't do a thing about it."

"Rose can take care of herself," Albus said with a shrug. A wicked grin crossed his face as he continued with, "Besides, you did such a wonderful job taking care of it for us that we had nothing left to do."

Scorpius only "hmm-ed", returning to his notes with a frown.

"I suppose that's also why you punched him after your house won before that, right?" Albus continued, enjoying making his friend so uncomfortable, "Because you 'didn't aim correctly.' Unless, of course, it had something to do with what he was saying about Rose…"

Scorpius glared at his friend. "You heard all that and didn't _do_ anything?"

"You beat me to it. I thought the poor bloke had suffered enough, and honestly I'd much rather that _you _got hexed by Rose."

"Very funny, Al. She wouldn't have hexed you, anyway; she doesn't hate you."

He sounded so bitter about it that Albus found himself almost feeling sorry for his best friend, "She doesn't hate you either," he amended quickly. "At least, not anymore." Scorpius merely "hmm-ed" again, trying his best to study, but Albus could tell he had hit a nerve; Scorpius foot was moving to an uncertain beat as it always did when he was agitated. "Besides, she stopped calling you 'that bloody git Malfoy' _ages_ ago."

Scorpius looked up hopefully. "Really?"

"Well, not _ages_…last week, more like. But at least she stopped."

The hopeful expression slid from Scorpius's face like butter in a pan. "It's a good thing I don't particularly care either way, because you are awful at this whole 'cheering up' thing."

"And yet you all insist on complaining to me about your problems—"

"_I'm not complaining!_"

"Whatever you want to call it." He fixed Scorpius with an expression of the upmost concern as he asked, "Look, do you fancy her or not?"

Scorpius didn't answer for a moment, seemingly distracted once again by his notes, but Albus distinctly heard a mumble that sounded suspiciously like, "None of your business."

Scorpius was rewarded a punch in the shoulder before Albus exclaimed, "It very well is my business, you prat! She's my cousin, and if you hurt her—."

"I thought Rose could take care of herself," Scorpius cut in. When he heard no reply from Albus, he finally looked from his notes to find Albus simply looking at him, an eyebrow arched. It wasn't hard to tell what he was thinking, and it wasn't hard to tell what he was trying to convey to Scorpius; Albus _was _the only person besides Rose who would call Scorpius out on his nonsense.

Scorpius let out a rush of air, cornered. Damning Albus for his precociousness, he finally admitted defeat, returning to his notes and mumbling, "Just…don't tell anyone, alright?"

"Wouldn't dream of it," Albus answered, leaning against the tree and grinning, a letter addressed to a very particular Weasley already forming in his mind.


	9. Cosmic Joke

I know what you're thinking. "Two updates in one _week_?" Trust me, I'm surprised too.

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><p>Maybe it's a cosmic disturbance that causes it—a lunar eclipse, a solar eclipse, a solar <em>flare<em>—or maybe it's just a full moon (or a new moon even; she'd never thought that they were completely innocent when it came to odd things happening).

Maybe someone has Confunded her, or maybe she's under the Imperius Curse (Al _has _been looking at her strangely, lately). Whatever it is, something has happened to make Rose not herself, and she has found herself thinking foolish, preposterous, and absolutely _absurd_ thoughts.

Scorpius Malfoy looks good today.

The thought is inconsequential; a fleeting notion that she's sure would have passed through her mind sooner or later. Malfoy is handsome, a fact that there was no denying (and who was she to deny facts?), but thinking that he may actually look _good_?

Ridiculous; one does not think of one's rival as good-looking.

Nonetheless, the second it's through her mind she stops midway through eating breakfast to ask herself not only, "_what?_" but also, "_why?_"

There's nothing different about him today; no hair style change, no new robes, no new smile or manner about him that could make her see him unlike any other day before. He's just the same Scorpius Malfoy that she's despised since first year, eating breakfast in the same Great Hall at the same Slytherin table with the same friends that he always does.

And she's just the same Rose Weasley who _he's _despised since first year, eating breakfast in the same Great Hall at the same Ravenclaw table with the same friends that she (almost) always does.

It's just a random thought that passes through her mind at a random time on some random day.

She looks down at her breakfast; maybe it's the sausage.

She calmly sets the sausage back on her plate and exits the Great Hall as quickly as she can without drawing attention to herself and walks as slowly as she can to her first class (even though it doesn't start for another half hour).

Maybe it's not a cosmic disturbance at all, she reasons, but a cosmic joke; maybe the universe is laughing at her for not noticing before, and making her do so at the most inopportune of times. It's the only rational explanation, and Rose Weasley is nothing if not rational.

Why else would she suddenly be thinking such silly thoughts?

Ridiculous, all of it.

So she laughs with the universe, goes about her day, and tries not to stare.

Because, cosmic joke or not, Scorpius Malfoy looks good today.


End file.
